Sedums, numerous species, hybrids and cultivars within the genus Sedum, are commonly called stonecrop. They’re drought-tolerant perennials prized across U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 10, although specific cultivars generally have smaller growing ranges. Bigger varieties of this plant, also called showy sedums, grow in clumps, producing flowers attractive to bees, butterflies and other insects. Reaching heights of around 24 inches, they gain from pinching back to regulate dimension and also protect against toppling. Low-growing sedums generally achieve no longer than a couple of inches tall but can spread extensively, occasionally requiring cutting where they slapped their planned website.
Cut the spent flower stalks on the sedum back to close the base of the plant just above new growth as it appears in late winter or early spring. Use sharp, sterile pruning hears, loppers or scissors to remove each old stem with a single, clean cut.
Pinch showy sedums back after during the growing season with your thumb and the fingernail on your index finger to remove the upper 4 inches of the stem from late spring or early summer when the plant is 8 inches tall. Always sever the stem just above a leaf node. Pinch or cut low-growing sedum comes right back to a leaf node whenever they spill over into a walkway, otherwise harassing their space, or in which you wish to encourage branching and denser growth.
Inspect the sedum frequently through the year to get fungal leaf spots, other ailments, heavy pest activity, and damaged or dead stems. Sedum is rarely bothered severely by insects or disease, but you ought to cut off all affected parts of the plant as soon as damage or disease becomes evident. Dispose of removed sections of the sedum away from desirable vegetation to avoid spreading infection.
